


Summer in the Garden

by Small_Hobbit



Series: Sussex Retirement [23]
Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: M/M, Retirement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-19 13:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Dr Watson is dozing in the garden when he is invited to a special Sunday tea.





	1. Chapter 1

I was dozing peaceful in the garden chair when the sound of footsteps alerted me to the presence of another.  These were too youthful to belong to Holmes, so I was not surprised when a young man’s voice said, “There you are, Dr Watson, I thought I might find you in the garden.”

“Good afternoon, Arthur,” I replied.  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Mother’s sent me to ask you and Mr Holmes to come to tea on Sunday.  It’s a special tea, you see, for William and Daisy, and Mother thought it would be nice if you could be there.”

“We will be delighted to come to tea.  We’ll bring a gift with us.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to do that.”  Arthur looked confused.  “Mother will be doing all the food.”

“I’m sure she will.”  I looked at Arthur and decided there was no point in pursuing the matter with him.  I presumed the tea was to celebrate the betrothal between William, Arthur’s older brother, and Daisy, but the idea of a present for the couple was outside Arthur’s expectation.  I resolved to have a word with Mrs Maiden, our housekeeper, as to a suitable gift.

Arthur grinned at me and said, “Anyway, I must be going.  Grandfather wants me to help with tidying up the garden for Sunday as well.  I’ll let mother know you’ll be coming.”

I said goodbye and watched him stride down the path, calling a greeting to Holmes as he did so.

Holmes came to join me and sat down in the other seat.

“How are your bees?” I asked.

“My bees are very well, and enamoured of their new honeysuckle,” he replied.

“I don’t believe Seth and I planted the honeysuckle especially for your bees.”

Holmes chuckled and then said, “As Seth is not here, and Arthur has just departed I assume he came with a message.”

“Indeed.  We have been invited to tea on Sunday in honour of William and Daisy.  I would like to take a gift for them but am not sure what would be appropriate.”

Holmes thought for a moment, then said, “What did we give Hopkins and Annie on the occasion of their betrothal?”

I sighed.  “You gave Hopkins a pocket fingerprinting kit.”

“It is always a good idea to give something which will help with the couple’s future life.  Hopkins made good use of the kit.”

“That is true,” I was forced to agree.  “But I don’t think it will help in this case.  And we gave Annie money to buy clothing suitable for an inspector’s wife, which again is of no assistance, for Daisy has family to help her.”

“But it might not be entirely unsuitable to buy something to assist William with his new trade,” Holmes said thoughtfully.  “Dick Mason is taking him on in his leather works, and I’m sure William would appreciate some of his own tools.”

I looked at Holmes and could see where his thoughts were taking him.  “Mrs Wyman has refused to sell her husband’s tools,” I said, “But if we were to offer her a reasonable price, and she knew they were going to a young man who would make good use of them, she may well be agreeable.”

“We can visit her tomorrow,” Holmes said.  “And in the meantime, shall we partake of our cold supper, before we go for a stroll up the lane?”

I stood up and we made our way back into our cottage.  I paused on the way to enjoy the scent of the honeysuckle; it was not just the bees who appreciated it.

 


	2. A Small Moment of Happiness

The following week Seth and I were sitting companionably in the garden chairs.  Holmes was pottering around on the far side of the garden; we had heard him talking to his bees as he went about his tasks.  Seth and I had been talking as we tended to do about everything and nothing; we had remembered times long past and discussed William and Daisy’s future, and all manner of events in between.

I looked around the garden and gave a contented sigh.  “There are days which one looks back on with great happiness, as I’m sure Ellen will do about William’s wedding day,” I began.

“Once she’s finished shedding all the tears about her baby boy, never mind he’s nearly six foot now,” Seth added.

“From what Dick Mason was saying in the pub last night, she and Daisy’s mother will make a right pair,” I replied with a laugh.

Seth nodded.  “But you were saying, high days and holidays apart …”

“There is much to be said for enjoying the simple pleasures in life,” I continued.  “Sitting here, smoking our pipes, and enjoying the benefit of our hard work in the garden earlier in the year, it would be hard to improve on such happiness.”

“But maybe I can indeed improve on it,” Holmes said.  He had clearly overheard my remark as he approached.  He put the tea tray he was carrying onto the little table and fetched the third garden chair.  “The biscuits were made by the inestimable Mrs Maiden this morning,” he added.

I poured the tea and passed round the cups.  “You are right, Holmes,” I said.  “Afternoon tea and biscuits whilst sat in one’s own glorious garden has to be the pinnacle of happiness.”


End file.
